Coordinating Conjunctions (ADUSO)

Coordinating conjunctions link two independent main clauses (Hauptsätze)—or two equal words or phrases—side by side. Because they sit in Position Zero outside the clause’s grammar slots, they never alter the V2 word order of the clause that follows.

At A1 and A2, five coordinating conjunctions cover virtually every everyday sentence connection, easily remembered by the acronym ADUSO.

The ADUSO Mnemonic

Notice the verb position after denn in row 2:

• Pos. 0: denn | Pos. 1 (Subject): ich | Pos. 2 (Verb): bin | Rest: krank.

Compare that directly with subordinating conjunctions like weil and conjunctional adverbs like deshalb (covered in Connectors & Word Order):

• denn (Pos. 0 — V2 unchanged): Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
• weil (Subordinating — verb at the end): Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
• deshalb (Adverb in Pos. 1 — verb-subject inversion): Ich bin krank, deshalb bin ich zu Hause.

Closer Look at Each ADUSO Conjunction

A — aber (Contrast or Qualification)

Aber introduces an unexpected contrast, limitation, or “nevertheless” idea without canceling out the first clause:

• Das Apartment (das Apartment) ist klein, aber es ist hell. (The apartment is small, but it is bright.)
• Ich lerne erst seit drei Monaten (der Monat) Deutsch, aber ich verstehe schon viel. (I’ve only been learning German for three months, but I already understand a lot.)

(Bonus flexibility: aber can also slide inside the second clause’s middle field, unlike the other four ADUSO words: Ich wollte kommen, ich hatte aber keine Zeit.)

D — denn (Reason / Cause)

Denn gives a reason or explanation, just like because or for, while leaving normal main-clause word order intact:

• Wir nehmen ein Taxi (das Taxi), denn der letzte Bus (der Bus) ist schon weg. (We’re taking a taxi, because the last bus is already gone.)
• Important limit: Unlike weil, a denn-clause can never come first to start the whole sentence.

U — und (Addition)

Und links equal clauses, subjects, verbs, or objects. When both clauses share the same subject, German often leaves out the repeated subject (and omits the comma):

• Marie kocht das Abendessen (das Abendessen) und deckt den Tisch (der Tisch). (Marie cooks dinner and sets the table.)
• Sie arbeitet in Wien und ihr Bruder (der Bruder) studiert in Graz. (She works in Vienna and her brother studies in Graz.)

S — sondern (Correction After a Negation)

Sondern has a narrower job than English but. Use sondern only when the first half contains a negation (nicht, kein-, nie) and the second half replaces the negated piece with the true correction:

• Er kommt nicht heute, sondern morgen. (He is not coming today, but rather tomorrow.)
• Wir trinken keinen Kaffee (der Kaffee), sondern Tee (der Tee). (We’re not drinking coffee, but tea.)
• Sie wohnt nicht in Bern, sondern sie arbeitet nur dort. (She doesn’t live in Bern; rather she only works there.)

O — oder (Alternative)

Oder offers choices or alternatives. Just like und, it preserves whatever sentence type the first clause sets—statement, yes/no question, or imperative:

• Fahren wir mit dem Zug (der Zug) oder nehmen wir das Auto (das Auto)? (Are we going by train or taking the car?)
• Du kannst eine E-Mail (die E-Mail) schreiben oder mich später anrufen. (You can write an email or call me later.)

Comma Rules for ADUSO Conjunctions

• Always place a comma before aber, denn, and sondern: Ich bin müde, aber glücklich. / Ich bleibe hier, denn es regnet.
• Usually omit the comma before und and oder—both when joining single words (Tee und Kaffee) and between full main clauses (a comma is optional between two full independent clauses, though most modern writers leave it out).

Common Mistakes to Avoid